


Your Liquored Paint

by Vas_Zappenin_Zouis



Category: One Direction
Genre: Artist Zayn, F/M, M/M, So you get like a fair amount, cause I dont know what im doing anymore, of Larry Zouis and Zarry in this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-15
Updated: 2013-11-15
Packaged: 2017-12-31 09:30:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1030080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vas_Zappenin_Zouis/pseuds/Vas_Zappenin_Zouis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was his thing to do with Liam before said lad got a scholarship to some major law school leaving Zayn alone with a bitter view of the world and an empty shell that smelt of smoke, liquor, and mindless sex. But what’s an artist without the pain? Or so that’s what Harry would tell him- the cheeky bastard. </p>
<p>(Or one in which Zayn likes smelling of smoke, paint crisping onto his skin, liquor drowning his senses, and mindless sex to get his next painting out cause he can never paint someone twice. But then there’s Louis and he might be first person he could paint more then once.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_But my lungs so muddy_

_I love the way you taste_

_Drink it ‘til I’m ugly baby_

_Fuck me while I’m faded_

_Feel that through my denim_

The first thing he noticed when he woke in the afternoon was the lightness of the bed on the other side. Zayn didn’t have to reach over to know that Harry left sometime this morning while he was still passed out from his weed educed coma. The second thing he noticed was the cup on the side of his bed knocked over resting in a puddle of watered down looking mud that the crack in his black out curtains made glisten brilliantly in the sun. Almost too brilliantly for shit colored water if you asked him. He scanned his eyes over and saw that indeed the fucking water was dripping off the night stand onto his, once stark, white carpet adding to the millions of colors that bleed their way into his hurricane of a life.

He scrubbed his hands up his face to rub through his hair feeling the crisps of paint flake off onto his blue stained calloused fingers. Before extending his arms up above him feeling the wall scrub against his knuckles roughly as his back arched with a, pleasantly, painful crack. He let out an uneven breathe slither past his dry parted lips before yanking the burgundy duvet off his naked body feeling the cold air tickle his _afternoon_ wood making a tickling sensation run through his spine.

Chewing on his bottom lip he walked over to the window grabbing both ends of the curtain yanking them open letting the blinding midday sun envelope his stark body chasing away the shadows of his room. Zayn couldn’t tell you about how he was feeling but it was something along the colors or white- no eggshell. It wasn’t exactly good cause it was tarnished by something he couldn’t put his finger on. Maybe it was deadlines or the muddy feeling he had every time he was anywhere not high or plastered. Cause you see Zayn didn’t like emotions they lead to things getting so fucking _black_ and feelings for other lead to something like red or blue. That wasn’t the point though he just didn’t like whatever color it made him see sloshed onto a canvas teasing him- mocking. And being the artist he was he loved colors- reds, greens, blues, yellows, and such that for him translated _him_. So if you would ask Zayn how he was feeling as he let the sun warm his sleep ridden skin he would say eggshell.

As he stood in front of the window for quite some time letting his eyes adjust before he met a pair of blue orbs just staring at him with what he assumed to be lust and curiosity. What a petite, porcelain, long white haired girl was doing staring up to the second story of his apartment wasn’t his business until he opened the window to lean over the railing motioning her to come up. So what if he didn’t know her name that wasn’t his concern as he wrapped her long legs around his waist and pounded her into the door relentlessly until she was clinging onto his body screaming through her second orgasm. Once she was trembling he carried her to the bed where he flipped her over and began to fuck her deeply leaving bite marks on her shoulders with purple and blue marks lining the curve of her spine in payment for the deep scratches he knew lined his back. Once he finally spilled his load into her mouth, only after her fourth orgasm, was he resting against the wall behind his bed a cigarette loosely hanging between his lips with the sheet covering his pelvic did he introduce himself.

”Zayn? That makes sense.” Her voice was something of a fairy type but that only made him think worse of her- God did he fucking hate faeries, they always fucked him over. He grunted in response ashing into the shit water cup he finally picked up. “Well Zayn I should get going.” His only response was a shrug as he watched her get up sauntering around the mess of his den where she picked up one of his button-ups he wore to his bartender job. “Since you all but ripped my shirt.” She gave him what he only though of as a icy stare as she worked her magic on the top turning it into a strapless shirt with a bow in the front before disappearing by the door. A few moments later however she returned with her shorts buttoned up to her bellybutton once more and sunglasses over her eyes with her hair in a lazy bun. He questioned why he even fucked her she wasn’t his type. Then again if he wasn’t into dick so much and maybe straight she could have been. But probably not.

No harm, no foul. Zayn thought to himself as she walked over to him giving him a glossy kiss on the cheek before placing a number in his hand. “‘s Perrie baba, call me anytime.” He imagined she was trying to be sexy as she whispered in his ear by the purring noise it cast off it just wasn’t his thing. “Yeah, sure babe.” He spoke while exhaling before getting up to brush past her heading to the bathroom. His apartment, though on the upper side town, was shit. Not in looks of course but by the way he lacked in decoration and anything valuable so as he disappeared into the bathroom he didn’t even worry that she’d take anything before she left the flat just was hoping she’d be gone.

The warm shower washed off the fruitiness of her perfume and he memories of the night before. He stayed in the shower far beyond rinsing his hair until the water ran icy cold. With a towel wrapped around his waist he walked out into his empty den sighing in relief once he realized it was empty of the petite girl. Good fuck as she had been he didn’t need anyone hanging around when he felt the itch in his fingers to paint. Discarding the towel to the endless mess on the floor he slipped on some boxers and sweats before making his way up the spiral stairs in the corner of the den up to his studio. It was a large open room that held two couches, two canvases- a large and small, a wall of a window that over looked the beach, surround sound that he loved to blast, a large desk filled with just about everything he needed when he felt the itch to draw, and in the corner was a covered off closet which used to be his red room. But he started hating the world for what it was and decided that everything was so much less painful when he could warp things to his own vision rather then see it for how it truly was.

Translation- it was his thing to do with Liam before said lad got a scholarship to some major law school leaving Zayn alone with a bitter view of the world and an empty shell that smelt of smoke, liquor, and mindless sex. But what’s an artist without the pain? Or so that’s what Harry would tell him- the cheeky bastard.

Zayn got lost in a swirl of white mixing with edgy black, where purple clashed with blue, and red was poison on the edges. It was the girl but what he saw her for- another fucking fairy. And no he didn’t draw a fairy he drew the raged edges of her spiked boots, the paleness of her skin, the bruises from his mouth, the black of her personality, and the red of her lips. When it didn’t seem enough to him he dipped the brush into the shit water and added the waves of her silver hair to line the edges. It was beautiful in the most daring ways almost spelling out _trouble_. Of course only Niall or Harry would know what this painting meant a person could think it was anything under the sun but never guess it was a girl he fucked mindlessly into his door and bed but had no intention of calling back.

”I see ya met a girl.” Harry’s voice boomed against the speakers pouring out the latest mix tape he was handed at the coffee shop down the street where he got his latest fix of warmth. “She must ‘ve been trouble, yeah?” He walked over placing his chin on the Zayn’s shoulder staring deeply at the picture. “Door was unlocked so I helped myself in so get ready cause it seems like yer itch has been scratched for the day and mine hasn’t.” The brunette joked lazily running his finger down Zayn’s spine making him turning and huff placing a sloppy kiss over Harry’s cherry red lips before exiting the studio clicking the stereo off on his way down the stairs.

It didn’t take long for Zayn to slip into some black denims, trainers, and a white t-shirt before slipping on a snap back over his wild hair. But even before the raven-haired lad could slip his phone and wallet into his pocket he was being yanked out the door and shoved into the passengers side of Harry’s Ford Capri.

”Yer such a fucking hipster Harold.”

”Such it Malik, ‘s a classic.” Harry spoke sitting up in his seat a little more straight with a shit eating grin plastered on his face that only resulted in Zayn laughing.

”Yeah, yeah a classic but yer still a fucking hipster.” With rewarded a hard prodding poke to his side making him jump up hitting his head on the room. “Twat.” He grumbled taking his hat off to rub at his head rolling his eyes just as Harry pulled up to their favorite night club. Zayn scrunched up his nose looking over at Harry questioning. “‘s it Friday already?” Because the only days they went out to this specific night club, that was owned by none other than Niall’s father but Niall did a lot of the ground work, was on Fridays- it became their thing once Liam left and Harry knew Zayn needed some fun. Although just as this morning showed he didn’t need a club nor a wing man, as shit as Harry was at it, to get sex.

The brunette just scoffed before getting out and pulling Zayn to the front of the line with him until they came face-to-face with Paul the bouncer. Harry giving his cheeky grin earned a snort from the older man before letting them through giving Zayn a pat on the shoulder as he passed.

One drink turned to four and Zayn loved the burn and mess of sweaty bodies that surrounded him. He didn’t know where Harry went off too but all he had to remember was the girl behind the bar was Niall’s girlfriend Jade and he got as many drinks as he wanted. So four turned into eight and soon he was pinning his girl to the wall practically fucking her right there if it wasn’t for the fact that she was wearing these impossibly tight skinny jeans and giggling annoyingly in his ear. Harry always told him that he was a bisexual drunk but that wasn’t the point cause right now she kept pushing his hands away and he’d really like to know what shade of purple he could turn her skin. When he finally got her top button undone she was yanking him to the toilets where she slammed him against the wall of the furthest stall where she commenced to get on her knees and suck him. She was mediocre and doing this weird thing with her tongue on his balls that he detested but she still got him to come and that’s all he cared about. Zayn tucked himself back in his pants and accepted her number promising he’d call because she all but clung to him until he promised before she wiggled her hips away from him making him roll his eyes and wonder why he let strange girls suck him off in the loo.

His lungs practically begged him for a smoke but his throat was parched for liquor so he made a list of priorities as he walked his way over to the bar taking two more shots of whatever was thrown at him giving a satisfied breath reaching in his pocket for his fags and lighter as he made his way to the back of the club where he knew the exit was so he could smoke in the ally before returning to, probably, find Harry with his tongue down someone’s throat. Or maybe he was all out of whack because there was Harry pinning a smaller curvy lad to the wall his lips practically glued to his neck as he palmed him in the darkness of the corner. Zayn admitted that this tanned lad was gorgeous- he had a fringe, the color of chestnuts, that was matted to his forehead.

The lad opened his eyes and for whatever reason, which Zayn was thanking, they made eye contact. But then there’s so much blue that he couldn’t tell if he were drowning in the ocean or stuck in a icy blue winter. He quickly decided on the previous of the two because his skin was so carefully tanned that he couldn’t be anything but the warmth of the sun bottled into a curvy petite lad. Zayn watched the brunette’s eyes twinkle as he bit down on his lip to suppress a smile but then Harry was kissing him on the mouth and it was like the whole club dulled and he snapped from whatever summer trance the brunette had over him.

Rubbing at the back of his neck he quickly made his way to the back of the club where he shoved the door open closing his eyes as the thick gust of autumn air blew to his skin cooling the sensation the brunette caused him to have. Sticking a cigarette in between his lips he adjusted himself according before lifting a hand to shield the oncoming wind from the flame that flickered from his lighter. Inhaling deeply he tried to think about his next painting- he had completed four out of the twelve pieces he needed for his mini showing. Thanks to Niall and Jade, Harry’s magical lips, and Perrie paleness but at the rate he was going he didn’t know if he’d be able to put up with having to fuck, or watch others fuck, nine other people in order to get his art out. Maybe he could paint the girl on her knees tonight for him but she was nothing but a passing wind- he got nothing but red lipstick on his dick and fingernails scratching at his hips. It wasn’t enough. Then again lately nothing was since Liam left.

Going through two cigarettes he was starting to feel the chill setting into him uncomfortably so he headed back inside where the music turning into some dubstep remix causing everyone’s figures to practically blur together in sleazy moments. And yeah, maybe Zayn could paint this if when his eyes scanned over he didn’t noticed Harry whispering something in that brunettes ear causing his eyes to fluttered shut casting shadows over his cheekbones as he nodded his lip caught sensually between his perfectly white teeth. Jealousy burned inside him but he couldn’t look away as he watched Harry whisper dirty nothings in this lad’s ear and all he wanted to do was toss a bucket of green onto a canvas and paint the browns of their hair and blue of his eyes in every shade he could make because he was sure he’d never find the perfect one.

He doesn’t know how long he was standing there off in the sides watching but it was long enough fr Harry to notice him and call him over with a nod too busy with his shit eating grin to attempt to call him over he assumed as he made his way over to the two of them purposefully keeping his eyes to the ground not looking at the either brunette.

”Zayn! Mate this ‘s Louis.”

”Zen ‘s it?” Louis spoke his eyes twinkling with some unknown emotion as he gave an eyebrow quark holding out his hand.

”Zayn- Lewis right? How _cute_.” If said Louis wanted to play games he knew a few tricks of his own as he took Louis hand and giving it a shake a smirk coming over his lips.

”Oh he’s a keeper Hazza.” The brunette slipping his hand out from Zayns as he turned to Harry breaking contact at the very last moment before reaching his hands up to run his fingertips though the quiff atop of his head and he was good. Of course Zayn saw through the way Louis was fluffing carefully though his hair with that sick look in his eye hat showed false compassion. He knew these looks thanks to Liam but it was Harry’s life so he was in no means going to step in and cock block him.

So Zayn stood there as he watched Louis lean up on his toes to connect their lips softly at first but the liquor racing through their veins escalated things leading them to grind and touch roughly until the raven haired lad called a cab for them sick of watching the way Louis everlasting blue orbs would flutter shut whenever Harry would as much as breath on him. No he wasn’t jealous he was just tired of being _green_.

Once he squared Lewis and Harry away into the cab for them to lead off he twirled Harry’s keys in his hand as he stumbled over to the Ford Capri patting it nicely on the white hood. “Harold was right- you’re a fuckin’ classic.” He slurred getting around to the drivers side and slipping in setting the key into start just to feel the engine rumble under the seat vibrating into his very bones. Letting his eyes flutter closed as whatever Indie shit blasted through the radio swirled around the stale air of the car he thought again of colors- color?

Blue. Carolina blue, cerulean, bondi blue, azure but no nothing was the right shade of what he saw tonight. God his fingers itched for a smoke. He stepped out of Harry’s car, locked it, and walked the five blocks home chain-smoking as he debated mockingly throwing himself in front of one of the cars to get a painting. But before he could do it he decided he couldn’t very well paint with a broken arm so he stumbled back home only to collapse in his bed smelling of spice, smoke, paint, and sex.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was his thing to do with Liam before said lad got a scholarship to some major law school leaving Zayn alone with a bitter view of the world and an empty shell that smelt of smoke, liquor, and mindless sex. But what’s an artist without the pain? Or so that’s what Harry would tell him- the cheeky bastard.
> 
> (Or one in which Zayn likes smelling of smoke, paint crisping onto his skin, liquor drowning his senses, and mindless sex to get his next painting out cause he can never paint someone twice. But then there’s Louis and he might be first person he could paint more then once.)

Waking the next morning he groaned rolling over with a pounding migraine moving to bury his face into the pillow landing his face smack into a hard tan chest. He reached his hand up patting the chest before sitting up with a confused look on his face to see a younger curly-haired lad beneath him with a smirk over his lips and hands resting behind his head. “Good afternoon Zaynie.” Harry said cheekily leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead.

”Remind me again why I gave you a key to my flat?” He spoke his voice still thick with sleep and he rested his head down on Harry’s chest closing his eyes.

”Might have something to do with the fact that you’re secretly wishing one day I’d just move in with you I guess.” Harry said rewarding him with a hard smack to his chest as Zayn leaned up into the sitting position covering his face with his hands groaning. “Aren’t you supposed to be with that guy I sent you home with?” He spoke annoyed and muffled into his palms hoping the added darkness by his hands would be enough to make this massive headache evaporate. Harry’s loud laugh had different ideas for his headache however.

”And what’s so funny?” Zayn groaned reaching a hand around to swap at Harry lazily missing. “Oh, nothing just that last night while we were at his place we were going at it and stuff and while I went to get those jeans off he _fell asleep_ on me.” Harry fell back onto the back laughing loudly leading Zayn to straddle him and cover his mouth with both his hands giving him the death stare. “Seems like you’ve lost your touch Styles, shame. Going back to High School where you were the nerdy lanky boy who only got laid because your neighbor Nick decided he wanted to try a taste of nerd?” Zayn smirked at him leaning down so their bare chests were touching a hint of teasing in his eyes.

Harry practically growled at this grabbing Zayn by his waist harshly and rolling them over hovering over him green eyes that were moments ago now blown out dark and filled with lust. He leaned in and sucked at Zayn’s neck right before his ear before making his way up to his ear. “‘m goin’ ta make ya regret that.” He practically purred in his ear as he rhythmically grind down his hips into Zayn’s making the older lad close his eyes as his tongue darted out to lick his lips a small quiet moan slipping out. “‘m sorry what was that Malik? I _lost my touch_?” Harry growled grinding down harder biting down on his shoulder catching Zayn in the midst of a gasped out moan gripping onto his back. “Answer me.” He demanded grinding down harder.

”Yes. Yes you have.” Zayn countered smirking for a moment before Harry reached down and began to palm at him through his boxers roughly making him gasp. It was quick really. Because between Zayn and Harry when they wanted something slower and meaningful Zayn topped- when they were itching for something deeper than just _feeling_ but when it was Harry everything was a blur of clothing, pants, biting, sucking, and moans. Harry made quick work of opening Zayn up before he thrust in him deep and fast until they were both gripping at each other for purchase as the headboard rammed into the wall. Harry flipped Zayn over and that’s when Zayn practically lost it calling out Harry’s name and panting into the sheet as he felt the sweat slick his skin as his dick rubbed against the bed making him come over his crimson duvet in a heat of white as Harry hunched over him biting at his shoulder coming inside him deeply with a final moan against his tanned skin.

Once Harry had pulled out and disposed of the condom bedside he rolled over hand behind his head staring up at the ceiling in what Zayn knew to be one of his deep through trances. He leaned up kissing the corner of his mouth, because seriously they just woke up and morning breath wasn’t Zayn’s forte, before laying on his back and pulling Harry to his chest watching at the over six foot man managed to tangle himself into Zayn so he looked like a little kitten. “I didn’t mean it babe.” He whispered looking up with a sigh as his hands went through the brunette’s mess of curls. “But you’re always going to be Hazzy Poo.” He smirked rewarding him with a smack on the chest and a kiss on the collarbone. Zayn wasn’t good with these feelings but he was good at _Harry_. Good at knowing what to say in the smallest way and knowing that whenever things went wrong that they would always fall back to each other because even though it could be messy and him leaving right after he would eventually come back for nothing. Its how they’ve always been.

Zayn fell back to sleep and the second time he woke up that day he rolled over to a cold side of the bed. Again, he didn’t have to check the flat to know that Harry left. It was so _then_ that it ached Zayn to the core. He stood up ignoring the pain in his ass slipping on some boxers before looking over at the clock blinking 6PM at him. He didn’t want to paint tonight it felt so intensely cliche of him to do so after Harry left cause that’s what he _did_ but he was tired of what he was supposed to do. He just wanted to be for once. Making his way up the stairs to his studio he crossed through the open floor to the closet slipping into the room and flicking on the red light before letting his eye adjust a moment before he looked around at the pictures taped up to the walls, hung on string, piled on counters, and the chemicals and bins stacking neatly on the under the tables, and the full caps of film he threw on the floor when Liam left. It was all so fucking sick that he wanted to leave- this room reeked of red that he wanted to vomit.

Zayn did what he was best at doing though- he shut of the light and left the room in the same state it was in filled with memories of Liam literally hung up on string. Funny thing was he always felt like that’s what they were- like string. So delicately hung up and the more weight everyone put on their relationship the more stressed he could feel them getting. It was so _Liam_ to smile and say it was okay and that he _loved_ Zayn when they fell asleep in the same bed no longer tangled together. And it was so _Zayn_ of him to leave without anything but a note on the counter saying, “Wish me luck, I got in. Talk soon. L x” but of course they didn’t _talk soon_ or at all. The only thing that was taken was a picture of them from their first date that he had framed on the bar. It was empty along with Zayn but of course he put on a show- literally. He painted twelve pieces that _blew the critics away_. When Harry asked him what they were he told him with a sip of cheap champagne and a shoulder shrug, “The twelve phases he put me through.” And that’s when Harry saw it.

The white swirling to pink turning orange and burning reds that faded to yellows before they began turning a green before falling into sticky blues that tapered off to the grey and came around to browns that eventually just got lost in black. The last three pictures were in black but they were so different because even though there were colors swirled withing the darkness it was just a over sensation of _black_ that made you over think and not think at all but just _know_ the pain. That’s when Zayn felt like colors got him better than any emotions ever could. Nothing and everything has been the same since Liam that Zayn just didn’t know what to do anymore when it came to expressing himself to new people.

Unable to keep himself buried in the pain of the past he yanked on some old black ripped at the knee skinnies and a random shirt from the floor before shrugging into his leather jacket and trainers. He was out the door sunglasses perched on his nose and a cigarette between his lips before the stench of what Liam left behind seeped into him once again. The cold air grazed against his cheeks as he walked, more like practically a slow jog, the five blocks to Niall’s nigh club where he burst through the doors of the empty night club, due to it not opening for another hour and a half, and scanned his eyes around the room for the brunette.

His eyes instead fell over the short, slender, brunette wearing a short bright red long sleeve crop top cut off right below her breasts and a pair of high waisted leather black shorts with Red Bottom heels _at least_ five inches tall walking from behind the bar carrying a few glasses with a smile over her plump red lips.

”Jade.” Zayn called out walking slowly over to her taking the cigarette from his lips as he blew out the smoke. She leaned over the counter onto her arms giving him a gentle smile as she flipped her hair off her shoulder her cleavage on full view. He leaned in close to her and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek before leaning back and looking into her eyes before she lifted a finger to his lips and gave a light airy giggle.

”Get back here, take off your jacket, and thank _God_ you wore your tight jeans tonight.” She winked before turning back around her hair smacking him in the face as she began to clean off some more glasses shaking her hips to the light music playing through the speakers. Zayn’s jaw dropped because how in the world would she know him well enough to know he needed to work? As he stare at the cross cross on the back of her crop top he felt a clamp on his shoulder as Niall gave out a loud guffaw shaking his head. “She ‘s a beauty yeah?” He get his jaw get slapped closed before he lifted his gaze to the blonde and raised an eyebrow. “‘n I know what ye are starin’ for, she’s smarter than ye think.” Niall ruffed his hair before sliding across the bar to walk up behind Jade placing his hands on her waist as she turned her head to connect their lips.

Something about Niall and Jade being together made Zayn feel really _blue_ but not in the saddening way but in the way that Niall was chasing at her all through UNI and its like they’re two colors of clay that just _fit_ together and no matter how you mold them together they’re always perfectly swirled together. It was comforting their relationship so he felt no sickness in watching them until Niall lifted up his middle finger making Zayn chuckle out before putting out his cigarette in the ashtray before walking behind the bar into the break room where he tossed his jacket onto one of the random chairs before walking over to the mirror fixing his hair by running his fingers through it a few times letting out a light huff. He furrowed his eyebrows listening to the song playing and rolled his eyes. “If you _ever_ play Ariana Grande durin’ actual openin’ hours I might have ta break-up wiff ye.” He heard Niall say as _Honeymoon Avenue_ began to play through the speakers getting getting louder as Jade turned it up before he heard a thump and Jade’s high pitched airy laughter fill the air.

Being a Saturday night it was busy as hell in the Nigh Club with Jesy and Lauren set up on their stages playing Dueling DJ’s like they did every weekend blasting new remixes every Saturday like it was their sort of test. Zayn finished serving up a few drinks before tapping the new bartender on the waist as she turned around with wide eyes almost dropping a glass onto the floor in swallowing back. “Try not to break anything I’ll be right back.” He nodded feeling her shiver as he huskily breathed the words into her ear as she nodded and stumbled to where he was in her big clunky wedge heels. He took a mental note as he watched the wide-eyed brunette in her buttoned up shirt and high-waisted leather skirt run her fingers through her hair where she adjusted the bow headband on her head as she tentatively made a drink before looking up at the guy and bursting into laughter and smirked as the man shamelessly hit on her and she brushed it off like she didn’t even know what he was doing. Zayn walked over to Jade placing a hand on her swaying hips as she served up a row of shots for some giggling teenagers. She turned no stopping her swaying to the music as he leaned into her ear to talk to her over the pounding music. “Who ‘s tha new girl?” He flickered his eyes over to the brunette who had her head thrown back in full blow laughter her hand pressed to her chest as the man held her other one.

Jade smiled and shook a finger in his face. “‘s not corrupt the new girl..” She shook her head tapping at his jaw. “At least just yet.” She winked before looking at the next customer taking the pound that was being waved in her face and whipping up a drink as she talked. “Her name ‘s Camila and she’s here from _America_.” She brought up her fingers quoting around the air with an eye roll. “But the guys just _eat her up_ because of that little innocent look she has going on. She brings in the older man.” She looked over her shoulder as she put the drink on the bar and blew him a kiss. “Whatever sells the drinks Niall said.” She waved her butt in his direction before hip checking him towards the end of the bar. “Go check on Jesy and Lauren and don’t forget the beer. And make sure the bar the other level isn’t completely drowning.” Zayn grabbed two beers before a smirk came over his lips as he made his way over to Jesy first on the far end of the club on the raised up level stepping up into the DJ booth smirking as he passed Jesy the beer who in turn slid her giant headphones to her neck and gave him a warm smile.

”What sends ya pretty face my way?” Jesy wiggled her eyebrows reached forward to lightly trace a finger over his stubbled jaw with a wink before snatching away the beer and taking a swig. “‘s the smirk of trouble ya got there poofer.” She laughed turning to her turn tables looking across the way at Lauren who was completely lost in her laptop clicking away as the bass dropped vibrating the floors. “Niall said if ye play Ariana he’ll dump Jade.” He chuckled taking a swig of Lauren’s beer before clicking his tongue. “‘m just sayin’.” He help his hands up before leaving her with a smirk over her plump red lips as she set her beer on the ground to click away at her laptop.

Making his way over to Lauren his eye caught something _blue_ caught his eye. His felt his breath catch as he saw across the club down by Lauren’s raised stage with none other than the blue he’s been obsessing over since last night. His top was removed and there was a _splatter_ of so many colors covering his torso just as the group around him, and shit he was going to have to clean that up later, but for the moment all he could get himself to notice was the way his torso underneath the paint was an tanned as his arms, how his pants rested low on his hips hugging his skin like a second skin, the way his pants were rolled up at the ends to show his tiny ankles, and the way his feet were snug into once white converse. There was a lot at once to take in but the thing Zayn found himself dying to see was blue that he’s been craving since the beaches became cold and the nights grew longer over the days.

Zayn didn’t realize how long he was standing there staring until the next song played the beginning line of _As Long As You Love Me_ before Ariana’s voice came through the speakers making him perk up until Zedd’s Clarity came through pumping from Lauren’s side until Jesy countered back with Justin. Again the girls had the crowd moving and he looked over at the bar where Jade was laughing hysterically as Niall shot daggers at her with his eyes. He swallowed back walking over to Lauren’s raised level stage doing his best to keep his eyes off where he knew Louis was to climb under the roping on the stairs hoping up the six of them in two steps to reach up where Lauren was quickly working the turn tables to make the Mash-Up work. Sitting back until they were done he watched as the girls would look up at each other smiling before spinning at their tables bouncing to the music like there wasn’t a room packed of people between them but just the two of them in their living room making mixes together.

He smiled taking another swig of his beer as he crossed his arms rubbing at his chin. Once the song was over they went back to their more professional mash-ups and remixes as he gave Lauren a kiss on the cheek and her, half drank, beer before slipping past the throng of sweaty bodies to reach the stairs to the second level where everyone who wasn’t dancing could just bob along to the music, enjoy endless drinks, and watch the playgoers below dance along in the glow of laser lights.

Cher was behind the bar in her black and red high top Nike’s, high waisted leather skin tight pants, and a bright neon green bralet that resembled a bow. She seemed to be commanding the attention of just about everyone at the bar before she caught Zayn’s eye slamming down her drink and taking the money slipping it into the drawer before walking up to Zayn grabbing him by the face and bringing him down for two black lipsticked kisses on the cheek. “I haven’t seen ye since last month!” she pulled him over to her station where she began to make another drink not really watching as she tossed around the shaker and accurately poured the right amounts without measuring. “I was wonderin’ if ye died but of course Harry’s convinced me otherwise.” She winked with a little shake of her hips taking the money once again and shoving it in the drawer before turning to him and crossing her arms. “Jade sent ye over, yea?” She cocked an eyebrow pursing her lips.

Zayn rolled his eyes grabbing a beer from below the counter and opening it before handing it to the guy across the bar taking his money. “Just makin’ sure ya aren’t drownin’ over here.” He shrugged knowing that it was only going to piss Cher off more since she was the best bartender they had at the club. Ever since Jade showed up and took Niall from Cher there had been such a feud between the two of them that if they worked the same night, which they both worked practically every night, they had to be on separate levels of the building since the last time there were four broken alcohol bottles, a black eye, swollen lips, and ripped clothing. He felt her soft hand on his arm as he cut up limes for some drinks making him freeze as he felt her breath over his ear.

”You tell ‘er that if she insults me again ‘m gonna ta- _LOUIS!_!” Cher broke away throwing her arms up in the air as she literally crawled across the bar to wrap her arms around the brunette covered in dried paint. Zayn kept his eyes down cutting the limes before he slit his finger dropping the knife and cursing out turning around to grab the First Aid from under the counter cleaning off his thumb and wrapping it in a band-aid figuring it was time for him to head back down and get as far away from Louis as possible.

The rest of the night went uneventful as he tried his best to help Camila and Jade running when Louis came back down to go sit around and chat with Cher. By the time they had last call at the bars it was 2AM and he was ready to drop but he needed this. Zayn felt like he could _breathe_ because being around people too often made him feel suffocated but this is what he did to get back from his blackness to feeling a little more clear.

As he finished up behind the bar he watched as Niall, with the help of Paul, helped clear out the dance floor as Jesy and Lauren packed up their things. He shrugged on his leather jacket with a yawn slipping his phone from his back pocket for the first time that night to see five messages from Harry and one from an unknown number.

From: Haz [21:14PM]  
 _Where are u?_

From: Haz [22:50PM]  
 _You went out without me didn’t u? Wanker._

From: Haz [23:32PM]  
 _If your not getting laid right now u better have a hell of an excuse of where u are._

From: Hazz [2:21AM]  
 _Your food is as cold as your heart you fucker. Get home._

From: Haz [2:54AM]  
 _Niall said you worked tonight, I’m outside._

And for once Zayn was thanking God, Jesus, and whoever else was looking over him that Harry was such an overbearing twat or else he’d be dragging his arse five blocks home. He gave a kiss to Jade and a pat on the shoulder to Niall before leaving as he slipped a fag between his lips and light it before even stepping out of the building inhaling deeply on the end feeling the smoke swirl over his tongue as the minty taste filled his lungs forgetting about the sixth unknown message. Stepping out into the chilling air he breathed out the smoke he was holding watching as it evaporated into darkness of the sky until his eyes fell on Harry’s Ford Capri he was walking his way over until a shout caught his attention leading him to turn over his shoulder his fingers holding the cigarette to his lips choking mid-inhale as _Louis_ stumbled after him smiling blindingly at him creating crinkles by his eyes.

The brunette was fully clothed now in a denim jacket and crisp white v-neck t-shirt showing a peak at his chest art and the paint splatters beneath it. Zayn coughed out holding his cigarette from his lips as he rasped out a light “Huh?” in response. The shorter brunette licked his thin lips as Zayn’s eyes wandered down his neck to his prominent collarbones leading him to swallow back the imagine of him holding the shorter down underneath him writhing as he licks and sucked marks along his neck and across his collarbones. He blinked back as Louis reached his long fingers up plucking the cigarette from between Zayn’s fingers to place between his lips and inhale. “Don’t think ya need this anymore.” He spoke keeping the smoke inhaled slipping a piece of paper into his pocket before staring into Zayn’s eyes- which left him breathless like he was stuck in a riptide being yanked further out into sea. before giving a playful wink and blowing the smoke into his face.

And if Zayn was questioning if that even happened by the time he was sat in the passenger’s side of Harry’s Capri that was all on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was originally going to be tacked onto the end of the last chapter but 7,000+ chapters are a bit difficult to write and post on time. This was a quick update because I noticed you guys like it, bless you all, and I wanted to give you guys the chapter I already have written. I can't promise you like lightning speed updates but I do promise they won't be like weeks and weeks apart. I love you all and I hope you're enjoying this as much as I enjoy writing it. This chapter really came to me via Invisible - Skylar Grey.

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the first fic that I’ve written in what feels like forever- cause it has been. I was listening to [this song](%E2%80%9DURL%E2%80%9D) and suddenly I couldn’t stop my fingers from typing this out. If you could bear with me it would be amazing cause I'd really like to continue this but only if you guys would like to keep reading this. I have an outline and honestly this won't be more than ten chapters tops but I promise you these will be long chapters and yeah if you'd like me to continue please comment and give kudos cause I'd love to hear what you guys think.


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